Clear skies opened up to beckon National Geographic Orion into the blue, shallow waters surrounding Smøla. At first, we were not sure how to pronounce the name of this novel destination, however, by the end of the day we were all more familiar with the terrain, the history, and even the pronunciation of this charming fishing village. Some chose to immerse themselves fully in fishing culture while throwing a few hooks in the water themselves, others hiked up to sweeping views to see the wind turbines from a higher perspective, while others took slightly more traditional tours of the area. Even the underwater team dove in for a brisk swim with some of the infamous juvenile cod, amongst many other notable sea creatures. A lively singing performance closed the evening nicely with a few brews, claps, and of course, an accordion!
6/10/2025
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National Geographic Resolution
Liefdefjorden, Northern Spitsbergen, Svalbard
National Geographic Resolution awakened in the calm embrace of Liefdefjorden, the fjord's surface as still and soft as a cottony mirror. Guests had the choice of exploring the serene waters by kayak or enjoying the breathtaking sight of tidewater glaciers during a Zodiac cruise. The reflections on the water were truly stunning, offering yet another rich and unique perspective on the magic of Svalbard. The air was alive with birdlife such as king eiders, long-tailed ducks, great skuas, and arctic terns circled above and settled on ancient moraines, adding life and sound to the Arctic stillness. For the adventurous, the legendary polar plunge was on offer, an exhilarating dive into the icy waters. Seven-year-old Tulia, full of spirit, even jumped several times alongside her father, Kimmo! After another epic lunch onboard, guests gathered for a disembarkation briefing followed by an inspiring lecture from National Geographic photographer Sergio Pitamitz, who shared stories from his ongoing work in visual storytelling. Later, once the relaxing wine and cheese teatime came to its end, a pod of white-beaked dolphins unexpectedly appeared, breaching near the ship and playfully, inviting the guests to the bridge, once again. Once the marine mammals left, delaying the start of the captain’s farewell cocktail, all guests and staff members enjoyed the emotional slideshow put together by Giulia Ciampini with all the pictures collected from our 14-day adventure.